If you were moved by the powerful documentary 'On Her Shoulders' (2018), which follows Nobel laureate Nadia Murad's courageous fight for justice, you might be looking for similar films that explore resilience, activism, and human rights. This article highlights 10 compelling movies and shows that share the same emotional depth and urgent storytelling, perfect for those who seek thought-provoking narratives about real-life struggles and triumphs.
Collective (2019)
Description: A gripping investigative documentary that exposes systemic corruption and the fight for justice in the face of institutional failure.
Fact: The film's release directly impacted Romanian politics, leading to resignations and reforms in the healthcare system.
Watch Now 
Writing with Fire (2021)
Description: Follows marginalized women challenging power structures through journalism, demonstrating the transformative power of truth-telling.
Fact: The film features India's only newspaper run by Dalit women, operating in one of the country's most oppressive regions.
Watch Now 
Fire of Love (2022)
Description: Uses extraordinary archival footage to tell a story of passion, danger, and the human relationship with nature's destructive forces.
Fact: The film features never-before-seen footage of volcanic eruptions shot by the scientist subjects themselves, who perished in their work.
Watch Now 
Navalny (2022)
Description: A real-time political thriller documenting a dissident's fight against authoritarianism, with unprecedented access to its subject.
Fact: The film crew captured the moment Navalny and his team confirmed his poisoning through a phone call with one of his would-be assassins.
Watch Now 
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (2022)
Description: Connects personal history with political activism, showing how art can be weaponized for social change and justice.
Fact: The documentary interweaves the artist's fight against the opioid crisis with her groundbreaking work in photography.
Watch Now 
The Act of Killing (2012)
Description: This documentary explores the psychological impact of violence and the human capacity for denial, using unconventional storytelling methods to confront historical atrocities.
Fact: The film features perpetrators of the Indonesian mass killings reenacting their crimes in various cinematic genres, blurring the lines between reality and fiction.
Watch Now 
The Look of Silence (2014)
Description: A powerful examination of trauma and memory, focusing on a survivor's confrontation with those who committed atrocities against his family.
Fact: The film serves as a companion piece to The Act of Killing, but shifts perspective to the victims' families and their search for truth.
Watch Now 
Citizenfour (2014)
Description: This real-time documentary captures the unfolding of a major historical event as it happens, revealing uncomfortable truths about power and surveillance.
Fact: The filmmaker was in the room with Edward Snowden when the NSA surveillance revelations first broke to the world.
Watch Now 
Last Men in Aleppo (2017)
Description: An intimate portrayal of individuals risking their lives to help others during a humanitarian crisis, showing both the horror and humanity in war.
Fact: The film was shot by members of the White Helmets rescue group themselves, providing unprecedented access to the Syrian conflict.
Watch Now 
Flee (2021)
Description: A unique blend of animation and documentary that explores themes of displacement, identity, and the refugee experience through personal testimony.
Fact: This is the first film to be nominated for Oscars in both Documentary and Animated Feature categories.
Watch Now 
